Pants with Outer Access to Interior Pocket

ABSTRACT

Pants ( 10 ) are provided with one or more exterior pockets ( 14, 16, 20 ) for access to one or more interior pockets for receiving a concealed item. One or more of the exterior pockets includes an opening for passing the user&#39;s hand inward. A sleeve-shaped member ( 44, 50 ) inside the pants is provided for fitting circumferentially about the leg of the user, and includes a front planar layer and a rear planar layer. A supporting strap ( 48, 52 ) is provided for fitting circumferentially about the waist or the leg of the user, and a suspension strap ( 52, 56 ) interconnects the supporting strap to the sleeve-shaped member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to techniques for concealing items within clothing. More particularly, this invention relates to a combination of pants with an outer access through an exterior pocket for communication with a pocket interior of the pants and supported separately from the pants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of devices have been patented for obtaining access through an outer garment pocket to gain access a device within the outer garment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,269 discloses a pocket structure to conceal a valuable object, such as a billfold. U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,465 discloses a pocket holster for concealing a handgun. A concealed pocket comprising a container and a belt loop are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,157. U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,782 discloses a vest with various pockets for concealing an item, and a multi-pocket garment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,147. U.S. Pat. No. 7,058,987 discloses utility pants for law enforcement personnel, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,662 discloses an undergarment with pockets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,758 discloses a harness for a handgun holster. Another version of a concealed holster for a gun is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,368. Publication U.S. 2008/0061098 discloses a harness for handgun accessories.

The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and pants with one or more exterior pockets for access to one or more pockets interior of the pants for receiving a concealed item is hereinafter disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, pants with one or more exterior pockets are provided for access to one or more pockets interior of the pants for receiving a concealed item. The one or more exterior pockets of the pants each have an opening for receiving a user's hand, with the opening being exposed to the interior of the pants. A sleeve-shape member is provided inside the pants and fitted circumferentially about the leg of the user. In one embodiment, this sleeve-shape member has a front planar panel and a rear planar panel, with a spacing between these panels forming an interior pocket for receiving the concealed item. A supporting strap is positioned above the sleeve-shape member for fitting circumferentially about one of the waist and the leg of the user, and a suspension strap interconnects a supporting strap and the sleeve-shape member, such that the concealed item within the inner pocket is supported by the supporting strap.

These and further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of pants with access to the interior of the pants.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an alternative pair of pants.

FIG. 3 is a front view of yet another pair of pants.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the pants shown in FIG. 3 with the zippers open.

FIG. 5 illustrates components interior of the pants, including an upper sleeve-shape member, a lower sleeve-shape member, a supporting strap for each sleeve-shape member, and a suspension strap interconnecting each supporting strap and sleeve shape member.

FIG. 6 illustrates one form of pocket in a portion of a sleeve shaped member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 depicts a pair of pants 10 having a waistband 12, which may be elastic or may include a belt. The pants include respective left and right side upper pockets 14, immediate pocket 16, and lower pockets 18. The exterior of each pocket 14 is conventional for pants, and a pocket liner 26 may be provided for supporting objects in the pocket, and moves with the pocket to expose an interior of the pants. Rather than have the lower end of the pocket 14 be closed, however, the pocket is provided with a releasable connection, such as Velcro strips 28, so that the hand of the user can be placed into the pocket, the fingers used to separate the Velcro strips, and the hand thereby gain access to the interior of the pants. The pocket liner 26 is optional, and entry into liner 26 is separate from entry which opens the pocket.

In a similar manner, the pocket 16 includes a cover 18 which normally closes over the top of the opening to the pocket 16. The cover 18 may be held closed by one or more buttons or snap members 24. This pocket need not have a liner, and the user can simply unsnap the buttons 24, raise the cover 18, and gain access into the interior of the pants through the pocket 16. Alternatively, a pocket liner with a releasable connector may also be provided for pocket 16, with separate access to the pocket releasing member. Similarly, the lower pocket 18 includes a cover 22 which is also held in place by a button or snap members 24. In the same manner as discussed above, the user may gain entry to the pocket by raising the cover 22 and thereby gaining access to the interior of the pants. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the pockets may be provided on both the left side and the right side of the pants, or on only one side of the pants. As shown in FIG. 1, the left side pockets are in a temporarily closed position, while the liner for the right side pockets 14, 16, and 20 on the left leg of the pants are shown in a position such that the user can access the interior of the pants.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative pair of pants 10 with the same upper pockets 14 but with alternative side pockets 16 and lower pockets 20. Pockets 16 and 20 may have Velcro strip 28 at the top and along a portion of a side, so that the user can pull the pocket away from the pants and thereby gain access to the interior of the pants.

FIG. 3 depicts an alternative pair of pants 10, and in this case the pants are supported by a belt 13. The pants may include pockets 14 as previously disclosed, and also an upper zipper 30 and lower zipper 32. Each of the zippers 30, 32 may be hidden in the seam of the pants and may be unzipped to allow access to the interior of the pants. The zipper may thus be considered a pocket for gaining access to the interior of the pants. The zipper may be separated or joined at the bottom when open, and preferably is joined at the top.

FIG. 4 illustrates one of the pant legs with the zipper 30 unzipped, and the lower zipper 32 similarly unzipped to create an opening to the interior of the pants. A zipper clasp or handle 31 is provided for each zipper.

When referring to the exterior pocket on the pants, the term “pocket” should be understood to include any opening in the outer material of the pants which is suitable for inserting the user's hand through the opening. The opening itself may be temporarily closed, e.g., with a zipper or a flap. Similarly, the term “pocket” when referring to the item interior of the pants for receiving a concealed item is intended to encompass any pocket or pouch, and again the opening to that pocket may be open or temporarily closed.

FIG. 5 depicts the components 42 provided in the interior of the pants, which include a sleeve-shaped member 44, a support belt or strap 48, and a connecting strap 52 interconnecting the sleeve-shaped member 44 and the belt or strap 48. In other embodiments, the support strap may be the waistband 12 or the belt 13 for the pants, with the upper end of the connecting strap being removably securable (e.g., Velcro straps, buttons, clips) to the waistband or belt. The sleeve-shaped member 44 may be made from an elastomeric material which is circumferentially stretchable, or an adjustment member, such as Velcro strips 46, may be used to hold the ends of the sleeve-shaped member snuggly about the thigh of the user. A lower sleeve-shaped member 50 may be held against the calf of the user by Velcro strips 54, with a supporting strap 52 provided below the knee and above the sleeve 52, and strap 56 interconnecting the strap 52 and the sleeve 50.

A significant feature of the invention is that the sleeve-shaped members 44 and 50 may each be formed from elastic, and may consist of an outer plastic material layer 72 and an inner plastic material layer 74, as shown in FIG. 7, which are substantially adjoining when no object is being concealed. The outer plastic layer may be cut by the user, and the outer layer pulled away from the inner layer, as shown in FIG. 7, thereby forming an inner pocket 76 for concealing an object, such as cash, a weapon, or other valuables. If the sleeve-shaped members are not formed from a circumferentially elastic member, elastic straps or other elastic members be used for joining the ends of the sleeve-shaped member when placed about the leg of the user.

The sleeve-shaped members 44 and 50 preferable are each formed from an outer and inner plastic layers which are substantially adjoining when no object is being concealed in the inner pocket. The components as shown in FIG. 6 may be worn at times when an item is not concealed in the inner pocket. Even when an item is concealed in the inner pocket, however, the substantially planar configuration of the inner and outer layers, in combination with the weight of the concealed item being borne by the supporting strap rather than the cloth material of the pants also provides a “streamlined” look such that most people cannot observe that user is wearing a concealed item. If access is necessary for this concealed item, however, the outer pocket may be used to gain access to the inner pocket, and the concealed item removed from the inner pocket and retrieved through the outer pocket. By providing the sleeve formed from a plastic material, the likelihood of the pants material getting temporarily “snagged” on the sleeve-shaped member is substantially reduced, which is important since any such snagging is more likely to allow third parties to realize that the user has something concealed under his or her pants.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of explaining the various aspects of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment shown and described is exemplary, and various other substitutions, alterations and modifications, including but not limited to those design alternatives specifically discussed herein, may be made in the practice of the invention without departing from its scope. 

1. Pants with one or more exterior pockets for access to one or more pockets interior of the pants for receiving a concealed item, comprising: the one or more exterior pockets on the pants each having an opening for receiving the user's hand, the opening being exposed to the interior of the pants; a sleeve-shaped member inside the pants for fitting circumferentially about the leg of the user, the sleeve-shaped member having an interior pocket for receiving the concealed item; a supporting strap above the sleeve-shaped member for fitting circumferentially about one of the waist and the leg of the user; and a suspension strap interconnecting the supporting strap and the sleeve-shaped member, such that the weight of the concealed item within the inner pocket is supported by the supporting strap.
 2. Pants as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the exterior pockets on the pants includes a pocket normally held closed by a releasable connection, such that the user's hand releases the connection to pass into the interior of the pants.
 3. Pants as defined in claim 2, wherein the releasable connection includes hook and loop straps.
 4. Pants as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the exterior pockets has a pocket cover covering the opening into the pocket, and the pocket cover is normally held closed over the pocket opening by a releasable connection to block access to the exterior pocket until the pocket cover is raised.
 5. Pants as defined in claim 4, wherein the releasable connection includes one of hook and loop straps, a snap member and a button.
 6. Pants as defined in claim 1, wherein the sleeve-shaped member includes a plastic material front planar layer and a plastic material rear planar layer, and the front and rear layers are separable to form the interior pocket.
 7. Pants as defined in claim 6, wherein the front and rear layer are adjoining until separated to form the interior pocket.
 8. Pants as defined in claim 1, wherein the supporting strap is fitted circumferentially about the waist of the user and comprises one of a belt and a pant waistband.
 9. Pants as defined in claim 1, further comprising: another supporting strap fitted circumferentially about the leg of the user below the knee, and another sleeve-shaped member supported from another supporting strap by another suspension strap.
 10. Pants as defined in claim 1, wherein the sleeve-shaped member is circumferentially elastic.
 11. Pants as defined in claim 1, wherein the sleeve-shaped member is circumferentially connected by one or more elastic members.
 12. Pants with one or more exterior pockets for access to one or more pockets interior of the pants for receiving a concealed item, comprising: the one or more exterior pockets on the pants each having an opening for receiving the user's hand, the opening being exposed to the interior of the pants; a sleeve-shaped member inside the pants for fitting circumferentially about the leg of the user, the sleeve-shaped member having a front substantially planar layer and a rear substantially planar layer, a spacing between the front planar layer and the rear planar layer forming an interior pocket for receiving the concealed item; a supporting strap above the sleeve-shaped member for fitting circumferentially about the waist of the user; and a suspension strap interconnecting the supporting strap and the sleeve-shaped member, such that the weight of the concealed item within the inner pocket is supported by the supporting strap.
 13. Pants as defined in claim 12, wherein the front and rear layers are adjoining until separated to form the interior pocket.
 14. Pants as defined in claim 12, wherein the sleeve-shaped member is circumferentially elastic.
 15. Pants as defined in claim 12, wherein the sleeve-shaped member is circumferentially connected by one or more elastic members.
 16. A method for providing access to one or more pockets interior of the pants for supporting a concealed item, comprising: providing one or more exterior pockets on the pants each having an opening for receiving the user's hand, the opening being exposed to the interior of the pants; fitting a sleeve-shaped member circumferentially about the leg of the user, the sleeve-shaped member forming an interior pocket for receiving the concealed item; providing a supporting strap above the sleeve-shaped member for fitting circumferentially about one of the waist and the leg of the user; and interconnecting the supporting strap and the sleeve-shaped member, such that the weight of the concealed item within the inner pocket is supported by the supporting strap.
 17. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein at least one of the exterior pockets includes a pocket normally held closed by a releasable connection, such that the user's hand releases the connection to pass into the interior of the pants.
 18. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein at least one of the exterior pockets has a pocket cover covering the opening into the pocket, and the pocket cover is normally held closed over the pocket opening by a releasable connection to block access to the exterior pocket until the pocket cover is raised.
 19. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the sleeve-shaped member includes a plastic material front planar layer and a plastic material rear planar layer, and the front and rear layers are separable to form the interior pocket.
 20. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the sleeve-shaped member includes circumferentially elastic portions for holding the sleeve-shaped member about the leg of receiver. 